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For most of its history, Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge hasn’t offered much access for humans.

Birds, bugs and fish have been happy in the 568-acre refuge of marshland and mudflats where river and ocean collide.

But for those of us who travel on two legs — not so much.

That’s all beginning to change with the opening of a new trail at the refuge south of Lincoln City.

The Alder Island Nature Trail officially opened early in March. Located right off Highway 101, the gravel pathway is a short and easy 0.5-mile loop. It showcases a forest of alder trees, marshland and travels along the edge of the Siletz River.

The new pathway features excellent birdwatching, family-friendly hiking and public fishing on the Siletz River — a rare commodity.

“It gets you off the busy highway and into nature for a perfect little hike,” said Dawn Harris, visitor services manager for the coastal refuge system. “It’s a great place to see egrets, herons and marsh birds.”

Harris said refuge officials wanted to provide more public access to the refuge.

“The majority of the refuge land is tidal, meaning it floods twice a day,” she said. “Without building a really expensive boardwalk, there is no way to get people out there to enjoy it. But it is public land, so we wanted to try and offer more opportunities.”

Historically, Alder Island was a natural tidal marsh island. By 1939, however, the island was diked, developed and home to a small cluster of houses. The houses didn’t last, but eventually, the island became a place where a nearby housing development, Siletz Keys, dumped piles of dirt from dredging projects. The island was built up artificially, leading to the odd forest of alder trees.

When the refuge took ownership of the land in 2008, biologists developed a restoration plan to bring back a more natural state. In 2016, tidal channels were dug and the area was flooded — as it would have been in the past — making it more habitable for wildlife.

The island remained, however, so officials decided to take advantage and build a trail.

The hike starts at a new trailhead and parking area, which holds about six to eight cars. The recently completed project also will include a place to put in kayaks by the summer.

The hike begins on an old paved road, following a diking system to the island.
At a junction, my 2-year-old daughter Lucy and I started to see some of the wildlife we’d been promised.

A great blue heron swept down across the marshland we were looking out at.

“Bird!” she said. “Really big bird.”

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The Alder Island Nature Trail opens up a part of Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge to humans.(Photo: Zach Urness / Statesman Journal)

The trail was well-maintained and easy for her to walk. Given the time of year, the alders were bare, and we could hear noise from nearby Siletz River Road. Still, it was a pleasant hike.

About halfway through the loop, we stopped at the fishing access point. Public land for bank fishing is rare on the lower Siletz, so this trail could become most popular with anglers, Harris said.

The best part of the hike was the stretch along the Siletz River. The forest was thick here, creating a green hallway along the big rolling river.

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Lucy Urness, 2, looks out on the Siletz River after hiking the Alder Island Nature Trail at Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge near Lincoln City.(Photo: Zach Urness / Statesman Journal)

The trip was over quickly, even with Lucy forever stopping to inspect what she discovered on the trail. At just a half mile, the trail barely registers as a day hike.

Even so, the trail made for a nice addition on a trip to the coast.

Note: The cost of the new parking — entrance sign, kiosk and masonry work — cost $300,000. Tidal marsh restoration was approximately $90,000. Creation of the trail was approximately $25,000.

The trailhead for the Alder Island Nature Trail at Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge is south of Lincoln City.(Photo: Zach Urness / Statesman Journal)

Alder Island Nature Trail

General location: Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Nearby towns: South of Lincoln City

Trail distance: 0.5 miles

Climb: Almost flat

Difficulty: Easy

Trail open: Year-round

Dogs: Not allowed

Kids: Yes

Directions: From Lincoln City, drive south on Highway 101for about 5 miles past Taft and the turnoff for Mo’s restaurant. Just past Siletz River Road — and just before the refuge sign along the highway, turn left into a small parking lot and trailhead. Coordinates: N44 53.727 W124 00.507.